One of three smartphones presented at IFA 2017. A mid-segment model with seemingly ordinary characteristics, but with a number of small but pleasant features and features.
Characteristics
| Specifications | |
| Dimensions | 155 x 75 x 8.7 mm |
| Weight | 189 grams |
| Housing materials | Plastic cover, aluminum edges |
| Screen diagonal | 5.5 inches |
| Screen resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Matrix type | IPS |
| Protective covering | Gorilla Glass 4 |
| Oleophobic coating | Eat |
| Net | 2G: 850/900/1800/1900 3G: 850/900/1700/1900/2100 4G: b3/b7/b20/b38 LTE cat.6 Dual SIM cards, non-hybrid slot |
| Platform | MediaTek MT6757 Helio P20 |
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Cortex A53 and 4x1.6 GHz Cortex A53) |
| Video accelerator | Mali-T880MP2 |
| Inner memory | 32 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Memory card slot | Yes, separate |
| WiFi | Yes, b/g/n, dual-band |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.2, A2DP, aptX, LE |
| NFC | Eat |
| Main camera | 23 MP, f/2.0, 24mm, phase detection autofocus, LED flash |
| Front-camera | 8 MP, f/2.0, 23mm, autofocus |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS |
| Sensors | Fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, proximity sensor, light sensor, compass |
| Battery | 3430 mAh |
| Price | 20,000 rubles |
Equipment
- Smartphone
- Charger
- PC cable (also part of the charger)
Appearance and materials
From a design point of view, we have a typical Sony Style: sharp corners, strict appearance, large frames on top and bottom. The smartphone is sold in four colors: pink, gold, blue and black. It was the last one that was on my test.
The back cover is made of matte practical plastic. In the black version, stains and fingerprints are noticeable at a certain angle; let me assume that on lighter cases all this is not visible.
The top and bottom ends are also plastic, but the side edges are made of aluminum.
Control elements, assembly
You can see a peephole above the display front camera, light and proximity sensors, a speaker mesh, and an indicator light.
On the right side there is a power button, a volume rocker and a camera key. The button contains a fingerprint scanner, so it is slightly recessed into the body. Placing the scanner on the side allows you to save space under the screen and simplifies the unlocking process, because your finger immediately rests on the scanner, but if you need to view information from the lock screen, this will be problematic, because when touched, the display will immediately unlock.
On the left there is a tray for two nanoSIM cards and a slot for a memory card. Important: the slot and tray are not combined, this is rarely seen these days.
At the bottom there is a Type C port and an external speaker, and at the top there is a mini-jack and a second microphone.
Over the course of a month of use, I did not have any problems with the assembly, the device does not creak, does not play, and there are no gaps.
Dimensions
I always like to call the design of Sony smartphones strict and light. From the renderings and photographs, one gets the feeling that the devices are thin and light. Unfortunately, these descriptions have nothing to do with the XA1 Plus. The smartphone is thick and heavy, but it is completely unclear what this is connected with; pay attention to the competitors in the table, each of them is thinner and lighter, while the XA1 Plus has the smallest battery capacity. After the same XZ1, the XA1 Plus feels completely different. I know that there are people who like to feel the heaviness of a smartphone in their hands, but I’m not one of them, so I’ll attribute the dimensions to the disadvantages of the model.
Compared to Apple iPhone 7Plus
Screen
The smartphone uses a high-quality display: it has good viewing angles, there is no air gap, color rendition is close to natural, and the brightness range is above average. I liked the good oleophobic coating and a high resolution screen. Automatic brightness works too aggressively, you have to manually adjust it.
Separately, I would like to note the small side frames around the display; it feels as if the glass is bending a little at the edges, literally just a little, but the perception of the frames is completely different because of this.
But the top and bottom frames, traditionally for Sony, are large. Some people may not like it, but I didn’t feel any particular discomfort during use.
Despite the large diagonal, the smartphone has a rather large interface. I would attribute this to the disadvantages of the model, but, fortunately, you can change the scaling and size of elements in the settings.
Sony traditionally delights with the ability to fine-tune the display. You can change the white balance yourself and choose one of three color presets.
operating system
The smartphone works under Android control 7.0 and the proprietary Xperia UI shell. Sony has plans to update it to 8.0, but for now the current firmware works on the “seven”.
Xperia UI very carefully changes the interface of stock Android, while not significantly modifying its appearance. I like this approach. Just recently we released detailed review Xperia UI, be sure to read it if you want to learn more about the smartphone.
Performance
The performance of the device, in my opinion, is the second weak point of the smartphone (after dimensions). I tested a number of models with FHD resolution running on Helio P20, and, in theory, this chipset should support FHD perfectly, but on the XA1 Plus there is a slight stutter when scrolling the interface. This applies to both desktops and the browser with third-party applications. Let me suggest that the issue is more likely to be a lack of optimization than a lack of power on the Helio P20. By the way, at your request, I am now running an additional speed test random access memory. His results are below.
Autonomous operation
As I wrote above, the battery capacity with such a thickness and weight of the smartphone is surprising. However, let's not judge a book by its cover and look at the test results. And they, in general, are not bad: 10 hours in video mode, and 2% background discharge per night. Let us add to this that when everyday use you can count on 4-5 hours of display on, and we get a pretty good picture.
By the way, the smartphone supports fast charging using MediaTek Pump Express+ 2.0 technology; the smartphone is fully charged in about 80-85 minutes.
Camera
Daytime photos on a smartphone turn out quite well, but artificial lighting and night photography are much more difficult for it. Keep in mind that shots in this light will be either blurry or noisy. At night, the picture also turns out to be overexposed; you have to manually reduce the brightness.
Video shooting is typical for this price segment, but the selfie camera was pleased with the presence of autofocus. Examples of pictures are below.
Wireless interfaces
But regarding wireless Sony interfaces One can only praise. Firstly, the smartphone supports the aptX codec, secondly, it has separate slots for memory cards and SIM cards, and thirdly, it has a full-fledged NFC module, which is rare for this price segment.
Conclusion
I had no complaints about the quality of speech transmission; you and your interlocutor can hear each other perfectly. The external speaker is mono, but still loud enough, you're unlikely to miss it incoming call or notification.
At retail, the Xperia XA1 Plus costs 20 thousand rubles. For this money, the device turned out to be somewhat contradictory. On the one hand, it has many advantages: good operating time, Type C port, NFC support, aptX wireless codec, high-quality display, separate slots for SIM cards and memory cards. On the other hand, there are also plenty of disadvantages: a thick and heavy body, average performance, and a not-so-good camera.
In the segment up to 20 thousand, XA1 Plus has many competitors from Chinese companies, here and regular smartphones and newfangled full-screen ones. True, half of them do not have a Type C port and almost none have an NFC module.
But the Chinese are not the only competitors for the XA1 Plus. It is worth highlighting Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 - a strong Korean opponent. J7 2017 also has an NFC module, better camera, and the only downside is the microUSB port. And even with the trump card XA1 Plus, a separate slot for SIM and microSD, Samsung responds in kind.
And what is the end result? If you need a combination of NFC + Type C + separate slot + almost stock Android, while the dimensions and camera do not play a key role, then you should look towards the XA1 Plus. As soon as priorities shift, strong competitors immediately appear in in the form of Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and Meizu.
In fact, Sony did almost everything perfectly, I would have worked a little on the dimensions and performance (I would have taken the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 625), and it would have been an excellent device. Especially for geeks who so value all these little things like NFC, Type C and separate slots.
Sony XPERIA XA1 Plus is a mid-sized smartphone in the modern XA1 line. But, surprisingly, they ask for it at retail, just like for the larger XA1 Ultra, although in terms of filling it is closer to the base model Sony Xperia XA1.
Sony has become one of the few large and famous manufacturers who decided to build their smartphones based on SoC from MediaTek. In the case of the entire XA1 line and the Plus model in particular, this is the MediaTek helio P20 (MT6757). The displays of all models in the line are different. The younger one is equipped with a 5-inch HD display, XA1 Ultra – with a 6-inch FullHD display. The tested smartphone had a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The cameras in the base model of the XA1 line and the smartphone under test are the same, while the older smartphone in the line is equipped with a more advanced selfie camera. But the XA1 Plus has the advantage of a much larger battery. In general, it is clear that the manufacturer tried to expand the range of presented devices in such a way as to prevent cannibalism within its own model range.
Specifications
| Display size and type | 5.5 inches, 1920x1080 pixels, IPS |
| CPU | MediaTek helio P20 (MT6757), 8 cores (4x2.3 GHz, 4x1.6 GHz) |
| Graphics accelerator | Mali-T880 MP2, 900 MHz |
| Built-in memory, GB | 32 |
| RAM, GB | 4 |
| Memory expansion | microSD (up to 256 GB) |
| Number of SIM cards | 2 |
| 2G communication standards | GSM GPRS/EDGE |
| 3G communication standards | UMTS HSPA+ |
| 4G communication standards | LTE (4G) Category 6 |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac, 2.4/5 GHz |
| Bluetooth | v4.2 |
| NFC | Eat |
| IrDA | No |
| USB connector | USB Type-C |
| 3.5 mm jack | Eat |
| FM radio | Eat |
| Fingerprint's scanner | Eat |
| Navigation | Beidou, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS |
| Built-in sensors | Accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, magnetometer, gravity sensor |
| Main camera | 23 MP, f/2, f=24 mm |
| Front-camera | 8 MP, f/2.0, f=23 mm |
| operating system | Android 7.0 |
| Protection class | No |
| Battery | 3430 mAh |
| Dimensions, mm | 155*75*8,7 |
| Weight, g | 190 |
Appearance and ease of use
The design of Sony smartphones, referred to as the “Loop Surface” or “loop surface”, has become boring to some over the years, and some are still delighted with it. In general, there is no general average opinion, as in the case of Samsung or Apple smartphones. Opponents of this approach to design complain about the lack of at least some development, pants pockets that wear out due to sharp corners, as well as large dimensions. Supporters focus on recognition among the mass of faceless devices. And let’s be honest, I really liked the design of smartphones. But if in older models the lower and upper ends are made of aluminum panels decorated with small chamfers, then the entire XA1 line is content with plastic inserts, which is why the smartphone looks much simpler. Yes, they didn’t spare any metal on the left and right side edges, but it’s not that noticeable.
Upon visual inspection there are no comments regarding the build quality. When trying to twist the smartphone gives in a little, but does not make any sounds. Unfortunately, during such executions, rainbow stains appear at two points on the screen. It seems that this has already become a tradition for the entire modern line of Sony Xperia smartphones. However, during normal everyday work with a smartphone, distortions on the screen are unlikely to be noticed.
The display is frameless, which, taking into account the use of 2.5D glass and the curvature of the side panel, looks very interesting. Above the display is led indicator, front camera window, light sensor, and earpiece.
Sony cheated a little by installing a decorative grille in the lower part of the front surface, under which, by analogy with the XZ line, in theory there could be a second speaker that provides stereo sound reproduction. I could, but there is only a microphone.
From the back, only the camera module and the built-in LED flash are visible.
On the left side surface you can see a tray for installing a pair of SIM cards in nanoSIM format, as well as a separate slot for installing microSD media, for which the smartphone gets a plus in the piggy bank.
On the right side surface there is a volume control rocker key, a lock key with an integrated fingerprint reading sensor, as well as a dedicated photo key, which allows you to open the camera application and take photos even with winter gloves. A trifle... but your hands are warm.
At the top end there is a microphone and an analog audio mini-jack (3.5 mm). Installed at the bottom USB connector Type-C and system speaker.
Display
The tested smartphone has a display diagonal half an inch larger than the base model of the XA1 family - 5.5 versus 5.0 inches. But this is not the only difference. The resolution is also higher – 1920x1080 versus 1280x720. In addition, the display supports up to 10 simultaneous touches, while the Sony XA1 allows no more than 4. The viewing angles of the IPS matrix are very wide, and colors are not inverted even when viewed from an acute angle. But when the viewing angle deviates, the contrast drops quite significantly, and dark shades become lighter. However, often this does not become a problem. The display brightness is quite high. At maximum backlight power on a white field, a level of 473.99 cd/sq.m was recorded. Unfortunately, the brightness of the black field is also quite high (0.53 cd/sq.m.). Static contrast is 894:1, which is a very good result.
The display settings provide three operating modes: standard, “image enhancement” and “maximum brightness mode”. As measurements and visual observation have shown, there are practically no differences in these modes, therefore the test results are presented only for the standard mode. The color deviation in shades of gray is relatively small - from 1.5 to 10.2 (increases as lightness increases). On primary colors (CMYRGB) Delta E does not exceed 5.2 at all. Of course, this is more than the limit value of 3, above which the human eye is already able to detect the difference, but in practice it is difficult to notice this. The color balance is shifted towards cool shades, and the color temperature is slightly too high - 7544...8343 K. The settings provide manual adjustment of the RGB channels, so if you put in some effort, the color rendition can be adjusted to be more correct. Surprisingly, the settings do not provide a “blue filter” function, which reduces eye strain during long reading, although this function gradually becomes standard, such as adaptive backlight brightness control.
Sound
The smartphone is equipped with only one system speaker, although its appearance hints at the presence of a pair of dynamic emitters. However, the single speaker sounds surprisingly good. No obvious defects such as creaking or noise were noticed. Of course, there is no bass here at all, and the high-frequency range is rather poorly developed, so even for listening to the audio track of music videos, the speaker is a stretch, but for watching a movie in the field, it is quite suitable. In addition, the volume reserve is quite sufficient - when playing a test sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 1 kHz at a distance of 1 meter, a level of 75.3 dBA was recorded, and this is more than twice louder than in the case of the Sony Xperia XA1, and is also comparable to the result of the current flagship, the XZ Premium, which is equipped with a pair of speakers. The signal power at the analog audio output is low, but sufficient for low-impedance headphones, which are the majority of in-ear headphones. When playing a test signal with a load of 32 Ohms, a level of 262.2 mV was recorded.
The tested smartphone has fewer different “improvers” than the recently reviewed one, but they still exist. There is a dynamic normalizer, a Clear Audio+ function, a surround sound adjustment function, as well as the familiar 5-band equalizer with a dedicated bass control (Clear BASS). To evaluate the sound quality, we used the Right Mark Audio Analyzer package, as well as the Creative E-MU 0204 USB audio interface. All special effects were disabled during testing.
Overall result 24 bit/48 kHz
Performance
The smartphone is based on the Mediatek Helio P20 system-on-chip (MT6757). This SoC is equipped with 8 Cortex-A53 cores, half of which operate at frequencies up to 2.3 GHz, and the other half at frequencies up to 1.6 GHz. The video subsystem is based on the Mali-T880 MP2 with a frequency of 900 MHz. The amount of RAM is 4 GB.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
System performance was measured in synthetic PCMark, 3DMark, Geekbench 4 and AnTuTu v6. Memory speed was assessed using the AndroBench application. Testing was also carried out in cross-platform javascript tests (Mozilla Kraken JavaScript and SunSpider). The results of these tests vary greatly depending on the browser used, so to minimize impact, all reviews will use Google Chrome, as the most common. The following smartphones were chosen as opponents:
: Samsung Exynos Octa 7880, 8 cores (1.87 GHz), 3 GB RAM, 5.7 inches, 1920*1080;
: Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 8 cores (4x2.2 GHz+4x1.85 GHz), 4 GB RAM, 5.5 inches, 1920*1080;
: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, 8 cores (8x2 GHz), 3 GB RAM, 5.2 inches, 1920*1080.
Camera
The main camera is based on a Sony Exmor RS IMX300 sensor with a physical size of 1/2.3 inches and a resolution of 23 megapixels. Of course, at this resolution the pixel size is small - only 1.08 microns. IN automatic mode When shooting, the user can only choose the resolution. The manual setting mode provides control of focus, shutter speed, exposure shift, selection of white balance settings, as well as selection of exposure metering mode and sensitivity level. But the last two parameters are not in the quick menu, but are hidden in the main camera menu, which is a little inconvenient. The power of the LED flash turned out to be low - at a distance of a meter from the smartphone, a level of 18.15 lux was recorded.
To evaluate image quality, a test pattern was shot on the main camera with sensitivity from ISO 50 to ISO3200 in 1 EV steps.
The results, frankly speaking, are far from the best. But it is based on a very decent 23 megapixel Sony IMX300 matrix, which was used in the Sony Z5 Premium smartphones and last year’s flagship! Software image processing, which is extremely important in mobile photography, is lame on both legs. This has been a long-standing problem with cameras in Sony smartphones, and it’s time to start doing something about it, especially considering the fact that competitors with matrices from Sony themselves are capable of taking better pictures. Luckily, it's possible to delegate camera control to third-party apps using the Camera 2 API. The RAW format is not supported, so you won't be able to get raw, unprocessed photos. But compare with photo processing in mobile version Lightroom is possible. The test pattern was shot from the same angle under the same lighting as when using the standard photo control program. As we see, third party application filming coped with the task much better. It's worth noting that Lightroom did not correct barrel distortion.
Sample pictures
Macro photography
Conclusion
The smartphone does not have many obvious disadvantages, but, on the contrary, there are quite a lot of advantages. But Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is not the only smartphone from the middle price segment, and there are plenty of competitors even among famous manufacturers, not to mention the “Chinese”. In the range of $300-360 without reference to the screen diagonal, you can look towards the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017), Motorola Moto G5s Plus, Huawei Mate 10 lite. Yes, even in model range Sony has some very interesting offers. For example, with a smaller display, but with exactly the same main camera, a higher quality front camera, a much more powerful system-on-chip, excellent sound quality and a very high signal level on the analog audio output.
Minuses:
— dimensions and weight;
— relatively low signal level at the analog audio output;
— weak LED flash;
— software image processing does not stand up to criticism.
Pros:
— design (subjective);
— separate slot for installing a microSD memory card;
— high brightness of the display;
— quite loud system speaker;
— sound quality on the analog audio output;
- NFC;
— WiFi module with support for the 5 GHz band;
- USB Type-C;
— good main camera (requires the use of third-party software);
— presence of a dedicated physical camera key.
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 75 mm (millimeters) 7.5 cm (centimeters) 0.25 ft (feet) 2.95 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 155 mm (millimeters) 15.5 cm (centimeters) 0.51 ft (feet) 6.1 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements. | 8.7 mm (millimeters) 0.87 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.34 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 189 g (grams) 0.42 lbs 6.67 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 101.14 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 6.14 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Black Golden Blue |
| Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body. | Aluminium alloy Polycarbonate |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1700/2100 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a technology fourth generation(4G). It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 700 MHz Class 13 LTE 700 MHz Class 17 LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) |
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | MediaTek Helio P20 (MT6757) |
| Technological process Information about technological process, on which the chip is made. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 16 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | 4x 2.3 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, 4x 1.6 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv8-A |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster as system memory, and other levels of cache memory. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 256 kB + 256 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity that allows caching more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 2048 kB (kilobytes) 2 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 8 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 2300 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. IN mobile devices ah it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc. | ARM Mali-T880 MP2 |
| Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications. | 2 |
| GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 900 MHz (megahertz) |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random Access Memory (RAM) in use operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 3 GB (gigabytes) 4 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR4X |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates. | Dual channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 1600 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 5.5 in (inches) 139.7 mm (millimeters) 13.97 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.7 in (inches) 68.49 mm (millimeters) 6.85 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.79 in (inches) 121.76 mm (millimeters) 12.18 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 401 ppi (pixels per inch) 157 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 71.97% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance |
| Corning Gorilla Glass 4 2.5D curved glass screen |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Sensor model | Sony IMX300 Exmor RS |
| Sensor type | |
| Sensor size | 6.17 x 4.55 mm (millimeters) 0.3 in (inches) |
| Pixel size | 1.118 µm (micrometers) 0.001118 mm (millimeters) |
| Crop factor | 5.64 |
| ISO (light sensitivity) | 100 - 6400 |
| Diaphragm | f/2 |
| Excerpt Shutter speed (exposure time) refers to the amount of time the camera's shutter is open while taking pictures. The longer it is open, the more light reaches the photosensor. Shutter speed is measured in seconds (eg 5, 2, 1) or fractions of a second (eg 1/2, 1/8, 1/8000). | 1 - 1/4000 |
| Focal length | 4.22 mm (millimeters) 23.82 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame) |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. | 5520 x 4140 pixels 22.85 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Digital image stabilization Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode |
| Hybrid autofocus |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.
| Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera. | Sony IMX219PQ Exmor R |
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device. | CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
| Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically cameras with larger sensors and lower pixel densities offer more high quality images despite the lower resolution. | 3.67 x 2.76 mm (millimeters) 0.18 in (inches) |
| Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows the use more pixels per unit area, thus increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size may have a negative impact on image quality when high levels photosensitivity (ISO). | 1.124 µm (micrometers) 0.001124 mm (millimeters) |
| Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the dimensions of the full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the dimensions of the device's photosensor. The indicated number represents the ratio of the diagonals of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor specific device. | 9.42 |
| ISO (light sensitivity) ISO indicators determine the level of light sensitivity of the photosensor. A lower value means weaker light sensitivity and vice versa - higher values mean higher light sensitivity, i.e. better ability of the sensor to work in low light conditions. | 100 - 6400 |
| Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture opening is larger. | f/2 |
| Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length is also indicated, providing the same field of view with a full frame camera. | 2.46 mm (millimeters) 23.18 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame) |
| Image Resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the additional camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with an additional camera. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the secondary camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution. | 30fps (frames per second) |
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
| Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, and making devices easier to discover and connect. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device. | 4.2 |
| Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols that provide faster data transfer, energy savings, improved device discovery, etc. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here. | A2DP ( Advanced Audio distribution profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control profile) DIP (Device ID Profile) GAVDP (Generic Audio/Video Distribution Profile) GAP (Generic Access Profile) HDP (Health Device Profile) HFP (Hands-Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) LE (Low Energy) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) SPP (Serial Port Protocol) |
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser. | HTML HTML5 CSS 3 |
Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.
| Audio file formats/codecs A list of some of the main audio file formats and codecs supported by the device as standard. | AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) AAC+ / aacPlus / HE-AAC v1 AMR / AMR-NB / GSM-AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate, .amr, .3ga) AMR-WB (Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband, .awb) aptX/apt-X eAAC+ / aacPlus v2 / HE-AAC v2 FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec, .flac) M4A (MPEG-4 Audio, .m4a) MIDI MP3 (MPEG-2 Audio Layer II, .mp3) OGG (.ogg, .ogv, .oga, .ogx, .spx, .opus) WMA ( Windows Media Audio, .wma) WAV (Waveform Audio File Format, .wav, .wave) LDAC DSEE HX DSD |
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
| Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours. | 3430 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. Exist different types batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most often used in mobile devices. | Li-polymer |
| Technology fast charging Fast charging technologies differ from each other in terms of energy efficiency, supported output power, control of the charging process, temperature, etc. Device, battery and Charger must be compatible with fast charging technology. | MediaTek Pump Express Plus 2.0 |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics device battery. | Fast charging Fixed |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Head SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates maximum amount electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device next to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe the maximum permissible value SAR for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998. | 0.65 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards. | 1.07 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. Maximum value, used in the USA, is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 1.19 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard. | 0.54 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
Rating: 5 out of 5
Pros: + 1080p display + 4GB of RAM + Good cameras at 23 and 8 megapixels. + 2 SIM cards and space for a memory card in one tray. + Quite capacious, 3430 mAh battery. Enough for a day of active use with 80-85 percent display brightness. + Classic, strict Sonya design. + Very convenient for working on the Internet. Large bright screen, all applications load quickly. No slowdowns were noticed. + Relatively inexpensive.
Disadvantages: - Quite heavy - The sensor on the edges of the screen does not always respond the first time. - Thin rear plastic panel. Be sure to purchase a case, otherwise it will quickly get scratched. - Of the built-in 32 GB, only 9 GB is occupied by the system, plus about 1-2 GB of applications installed by default that cannot be deleted. As a result, about 21-22 GB are left for everything else. - Not very good as a gaming device. Of course, you can launch most games, but, for example, Remote play from PS4 will not work. Or recently released Final Fantasy 15. The game just doesn't support this smartphone, although according to system requirements he passes.
Comment: +- 5.5 inches. Big enough. But this is a matter of taste. To some, such a “shovel” may seem inconvenient. +- Not the best powerful processor, but in terms of price-quality ratio it’s very good. +- Android 8.0 (became available on 03/16/18), but 7.0 will be pre-installed, so you will have to update. +- The camera is 23 megapixels, but only in a 4:3 ratio. If you want 16:9, then be content with only 20mp. The situation is similar with the front camera. 8mp – 4:3 or 5mp – 16:9. +- The speaker is a C grade. +- Not the most convenient fingerprint scanner. If your finger is even the slightest bit wet, or suddenly gets cut or the skin is scratched, you won’t be able to unlock it. You can, of course, add a few fingerprints, but this usually doesn’t help. You have to unlock it with a password. And if you don’t have a branded case, then to turn on the smartphone, you will need to press the power button, and then again place your finger on the scanner to unlock it. Xperia XA1 Plus is a mid-price smartphone with a large FullHD display, good cameras, a capacious battery and very good hardware. If you want a high-quality device, but you are simply not able to spend 50 thousand or more rubles on a flagship, then I definitely recommend purchasing it.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Advantages: 1. The undoubted main advantage is the sound. Over the years, I have managed to evaluate the sound of various manufacturers, and Sony definitely holds the mark in this aspect. 2. Nice bright screen. Nothing “floats”, is not blurred, the picture is juicy and clear even in bright daylight 3. Camera. There are probably smartphones with better cameras. But there are no complaints here, either to the main one or to the front one. Bonus - a hardware button to simplify shooting and quickly call the camera, as in older models. 4. The case has a very pleasant feel. Although I liked the embossed design on the old ZL back wall, which helped with retention - on the XA1+ the wall is smooth and tends to slide in wet hands. 5. Fast filling, Android 8.0 6. Nice glass. And by the way, it didn’t get scratched, even when it was in a pouch with keys.
Disadvantages: 1. Battery. Even with the vaunted "Stamina", with active use of the Internet and the player in the background, the battery begins to become sad and discharge. However, that's enough for a day. Yes and these are the realities modern smartphones on Android, and it’s hard to call this a minus of a particular model. 2. The sides of the screen are really not always as convenient as they are beautiful. The screen is rounded on the sides and you often have to “reach the pixel”, for example, when dragging shortcuts on the desktop to different screens. Perhaps it's just a matter of habit. Or perhaps a stupid pursuit of fashion. 3. Again, it’s hard to call this a disadvantage of a particular model, but the antenna (rarely!) loses the signal literally out of the blue. So far, there have been no problems with conversations or Internet connections, but still.
Comment: Having tried various Android devices for several years, from the budget vaunted Xiaomi to the benchmark Samsung, I returned to Sony and was not disappointed. The XA1+ delivers everything a typical flagship model promises without costing like gold. Well, the sound. I will take the liberty to say that Sony gives best quality sound on the market.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Advantages: Beautiful case, very comfortable, no side frames, screen color, nothing superfluous in the programs, the fingerprint works flawlessly and is in a convenient place for me, connection and Internet connection is excellent, two system updates were installed at once, contacts from the old Samsung were easily transferred Xperia program Transfer, but it needs to be installed on both phones, this is for those who are not in the know. I tested the game Asphalt on my phone, it was a blast at maximum speed, again the screen is impressive.
Disadvantages: The phone has no disadvantages, it is a real flagship, no matter what they say, the only thing I can complain about is the fact that there is no speed dialing option, I could not link my favorite numbers to numbers, but there is a similar option with smart dialing, need to try.
Comment: I figured out both cameras in a day, the photos come out very high quality, if you understand how the settings work, the sound in the headphones is excellent, but to listen to flac files you will need to download another player, and who needs a voice recorder, it is not in the programs and will be needed download a very high quality Audio Recorder from Sony. In comments about the phone, people write a lot of stupid things, apparently many have crooked hands and many simply do not need to have such smartphones, buy something cheaper and simpler, for example LG. And also, maybe someone will be interested in hearing about the nano SIM, on all new phones the slots for the nano SIM have become even smaller than they were before and you will need to carefully trim both SIM cards, with my old nano SIM I had to do this or maybe I just didn’t I'm aware that new nano-sims are already being released in smaller sizes, I'll check this information later.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Artem Sokolov
Pros: Compares to my old one samsung note 2, which served me faithfully for 5 years. Gorgeous screen, battery (more than a day with active use), appearance (especially black), no unnecessary standard applications. Android, in my opinion, is more interesting than Samsung's. Communication, catches where the old body did not catch.
Disadvantages: This is a controversial issue. The camera lacks optical stabilization, your hand trembles a little and the photo is blurry even in motion. And so, compared to mine former samsung note 2, the pictures come out juicy and of better quality. The fingerprint scanner does not always scan your finger. I'll try to redo it again if I change the review. The sensor does not always respond when the screen is bent. The sound volume is quieter than the old phone, the quality is just as good.
Comment: I don’t consider the shortcomings to be significant; I was pleased with the purchase. I'll supplement the review with photos from this phone.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Artyom Zakrin
Advantages: Prospect for Android 8.0 by 2018; Two slots for SIM cards and separately for micro SD; Nice image Full HD; Good camera 24 mm f2.0; Capacious battery; Fast charging function; Good sound; Availability of a fingerprint scanner.
Disadvantages: Slippery body; The screen is quite scratched; Lack of a simple case and headphones; Judging by the indicators, the connection is poor; There are slowdowns; Bright screen with minimal backlight; Bright bottom keys that are NOT built into the bottom strip of the case.
Comment: And now about everything. Two phones were purchased, so the review is common from two users. As of December 2017, Android 7.0. An update to 8.0 is promised in the future. Let's hope. It's good that you don't have to choose between SIM and SD cards. RAM is actually 3.7 GB. Usually 1.0-1.5 GB free. The screen is good, but not great. The white balance cannot be adjusted normally, only for three colors, which won’t do much good. We need to get used to BB. The contrast is good, the colors are pleasant, and viewing the photos is a pleasure. The 1920x1080 resolution does its job. But scratches on both phones appear with a bang. The camera is a separate big topic. It is very, very good." Together with the processing algorithms, you will end up with nice photographs. Shutter speeds from 1/4000s to 1s, ISO 50-1600. The flash light is moderately soft. The battery lasts for the entire active day. After switching from 4000mAh, we thought it would be not enough, but everything is fine. For the PumpExpress+ mode you need to buy a special charger. Vibration is 3 out of 5. In terms of sound, Sony has stepped forward. At the sacrifice of moisture resistance, the speaker has become loud. There is an equalizer. You will be glad to have a fingerprint scanner! Try to get at least a minimal case early The case is not grippy, the dimensions are 5.5" and are prone to slipping out of your hand. Also, immediately remove all stickers, otherwise traces will remain later. In large cities, communication is 1-2 divisions; there are 4 of them. There are rarely 3 divisions. 4G is stable. Voice communication not the best. Rarely, but there are already software freezes, including those related to communication, and so the programs/games work quickly. And here is the main disadvantage: the bottom three keys are on the screen, not on the body. Everything would be fine, but their brightness is not reduced programmatically and they must be called separately when full screen mode any program/game. At night, with a dim screen, three bright “spotlights” will be shining into your eyes.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Vitaly Penkov
Pros: Display, speaker volume, autonomy. Camera.
Disadvantages: Not identified yet.
Sony Mobile presented at the IFA exhibition in Berlin new line Xperia smartphones of the 2017 model year, which included the flagship XZ1 and XZ1 Compact, as well as the XA1 Plus.
We were able to get acquainted with all the new products a few days before the exhibition at the Moscow office of Sony Mobile. It is important to note that the XZ1 and XZ1 Compact are representatives of the flagship Xperia line and are technologically inferior only to the XZ Premium. Moreover, in fact, the only difference is in the size and resolution of the display: the XZ1 has a 5.2-inch Full HD screen, while the “compact” has a diagonal of 4.6 inches with HD resolution. Otherwise, if we talk about technology, the smartphones are almost identical.
The XA1 Plus stands out against the general background of the presented new products - a smartphone that represents the middle class of Xperia devices, which are distinguished by their frameless design. The XA1 Plus in this line will occupy a position between the XA1 with a five-inch display and the XA1 Ultra with a 6-inch display. The XA1 Plus has a 5.5-inch screen, but most importantly, while maintaining the frameless design, Sony was able to install a fingerprint scanner on the side.
We managed to get acquainted with each of the devices separately, so we will devote separate material to each.
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus will be a new representative of the line of mid-price smartphones with a frameless design. Let us recall that the company previously released the XA1 with a 5-inch display diagonal and the XA1 Ultra with a 6-inch diagonal. New smartphone will find a place just between these two devices, since the screen diagonal of the XA1 Plus is 5.5 inches. The display resolution is Full HD (1080 by 1920 pixels).
The Xperia XA1 Plus will have the largest battery for a Sony smartphone, a large Full HD display, a fingerprint scanner will appear here, while the frameless design will remain. At the same time, Sony explains that flagships cannot yet get rid of frames due to the fact that smartphones are protected from dust and moisture. The Xperia XA1 Plus also promises the best camera in this class.
Actually, the Xperia XA1 Plus is all “best in class”: a large 5.5-inch Full HD display, loud noise from the built-in mono speaker, equalizer and Clear BASS function. Separately, Sony Mobile notes the largest battery for Sony smartphones - its volume will be 3430 mAh. The smartphone will also be equipped with STAMINA technologies, Qnovo adaptive charging and supports Quick Charge.
The device is powered by an octa-core Mediatek MT6757 processor, also known as Helio P20, with clock frequency 2.3 GHz. Depending on the region, there will be versions with 3 and 4 GB of RAM. The internal memory will be either 16 or 32 GB, depending on the version. The memory can be expanded using a microSD memory card. You can install two SIM cards in your smartphone.
As for the camera, it is a Sony Exmor RS sensor with a resolution of 23 megapixels and hybrid autofocus, familiar from previous generations. The sensor size is 1/2.3 inches. This camera unit was previously included in the flagship line and was installed in Sony smartphone Xperia Z5, as well as XA1 and XA1 Ultra. SteadyShot technology is responsible for image stabilization. The front camera is equipped with an 8 MP Exmor R sensor.
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus will be available in three colors: black, blue and gold. The device looks extremely nice and the mid-price segment line is increasingly reminiscent of flagships. The innovation also plays into this - the presence of a fingerprint scanner on the side. At the same time, the smartphone continues to be frameless and is convenient to operate with both two and one hands. It is especially worth noting the polished ends, which shine effectively.
Thus, Sony, on the one hand, updated its mid-price segment line, and on the other, supplemented it with a new device, which should definitely find its fans.
